WRIQ announces finalists for Lithium Ion Battery Innovation Challenge

BRISBANE, Australia, Aug. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Waste and Recycling Industry of Queensland (WRIQ) today revealed the thirteen finalists for ChallengeWaste – Lithium Ion Battery Innovation Challenge, a first-of-its-kind program to tackle one of the waste sector's most urgent safety and sustainability issues.

The initiative, launched in May, called for breakthrough solutions to address lithium battery fires – a problem causing more than 12,000 fires across Australia each year. Each finalist has now been paired with a leading industry partner and will pilot their technology in real-world waste and recycling settings.

"Lithium batteries are creating thousands of dangerous fires every year across Australia. By connecting these innovators with leading waste and recycling organisations, we are accelerating the path from idea to impact," said Alison Price, CEO of WRIQ.

"These finalists show the depth of ingenuity across Australia and beyond – from early detection technologies through to safe recycling, energy recovery, and workforce protection. This program demonstrates what's possible when industry and innovators come together to solve one of our sector's biggest challenges."

Finalists advancing to pilot stage:

• ADA-RNET - replacing plastic bags with reusable 'eco nets' for driver collection of batteries
• SalfeLi Recycling - providing a mobile, transportable battery recycling plant
• Detection Dog School - using sniffer dogs to identify lithium ion batteries within waste and recycling plants.
• Draeger - adapting proven gas detection technology to provide early warning of lithium-ion battery combustion inside waste collection vehicles
• Encaps - deploying a biodegradable fire suppression agent that neutralises lithium-ion battery fires.
• iQ Renew - trialling RFID-based battery detection labels for waste collection.
• Li-ion Energy Pty Ltd - trialling a decentralised battery recovery and reuse system in Queensland 
• NRG Sense - applying Al technology within waste and recycling trucks to scan waste bins in real time for batteries.
• Oscorp Energy - developing an AI-driven robotic module that detects and removes batteries from waste streams, preventing fires and improving recycling outcomes.
• RMIT University - designing an AI-driven sensor system that integrates infrared, ultraviolet, and gas detection to provide early warning of fires in waste collection vehicles.
• Sustainable Lithium Cells Australia - creating a product stewardship and social enterprise model that recycles vapes containing lithium batteries
• Visia - using x-ray and AI technologies to detect lithium-ion batteries and other hazardous items.
• VisionHQ - investigating the implementation of an AI-powered detection system for waste trucks that identifies hazardous batteries in real time.

WRIQ would like to thank the members of the waste and recycling industry who are supporting the ChallengeWaste program. Industry leaders, including Cleanaway, JJ's Waste and Recycling, Pure Environmental, and ResourceCo are generously giving their time and providing access to facilities for the pilot trials. Their contribution is vital to helping innovators test and refine solutions in real-world settings, and ensures the program delivers lasting impact for the sector and community.

ABOUT THE WRIQ CHALLENGE WASTE COMPETITION

ChallengeWaste is a one-off program designed to attract and foster international and Australian ingenuity to address lithium battery safety in waste management. It is proudly funded through the Queensland Government's Recycling and Jobs Fund and judged by senior leaders from industry and government.

ABOUT WRIQ

The Waste and Recycling Industry of Queensland (WRIQ) is the unified voice of waste management, recycling and resource recovery in the State.

Representing just under a hundred Queensland-based organisations ranging from multi-nationals through to small family owned and operated businesses, WRIQ engages in a broad range of state-specific issues of strategic importance to the sustainability and development of the sector.

** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

WRIQ announces finalists for Lithium Ion Battery Innovation Challenge

SHENZHEN, China, Jan. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- RoboSense (02498 HKEX), a pioneering AI-driven robotics technology company, has been ranked No.1 in the 2025 3D LiDAR Sales Volume for Global Robotic Lawn Mowers by OFweek. Leveraging the generational-leading advantages of its digital LiDAR, such as the E1R, RoboSense has established deep partnerships with multiple global leading robotic lawn mower companies, including Mammotion and Segway Navimow. These collaborations have set a new benchmark for the next-generation boundary-free intelligent robotic lawn mowers driving industry development.

RoboSense's strong performance in the robotic lawn mower segment also drove record-breaking sales growth of its LiDAR products in the robotics sector in 2025, achieving an annual sales volume of 303,000 units—a year-on-year increase of 1141.8%. According to the Gaogong Industry Research Institute (GGII), "2025 Sales Volume Ranking of 3D LiDAR for Robotics in China," RoboSense ranked No.1 for LiDAR sales volume in the robotics sector, demonstrating leadership across both niche segments and the overall robotics market.

The robotic lawn mower segment was the fastest-growing robot category in 2025. According to IDC, in the first half of 2025 alone, global shipments of robotic lawn mowers reached 2.343 million units, representing a year-on-year increase of 327.2%. In this process, RoboSense's digital LiDAR, leveraging its self-developed SPAD-SoC and VCSEL digital chip architecture for high performance and reliability, has become a key driver in enabling perception upgrades and supporting market growth for robotic lawn mowers.

The E1R, the world's first fully solid-state digital LiDAR for robotics, features a 90° ultra-wide vertical FOV and 144 beams, allowing precise detection of small ground obstacles, terrain changes, and fence edges—facilitating accurate localization, mapping, and navigation for robotic lawn mowers. Its fully solid-state design ensures resilience to vibration, bumps, and shocks, improving operational stability on rough terrain by up to three times. Built to automotive-grade standards, the E1R has passed more than 60 reliability tests, including UV aging, salt spray, and electromagnetic compatibility, and can reliably operate in harsh conditions such as rain and dust. With an outdoor service life of up to 8 years, far exceeding industry standards, it serves as the optimal perception partner for all-weather, all-condition robotic lawn mower operation.

Leveraging its leading digital LiDAR products, RoboSense has become a core partner for multiple global leading robotic lawn mower companies. As the global market penetration of robotic lawn mowers continues to grow, the application of LiDAR is expected to enter a new phase of rapid expansion, with RoboSense poised to capitalize on its first-mover advantage and lead the way into the next era of strong growth.

Source:

OFWEEK, "2025 Global 3D LiDAR Sales Volume Ranking for Robotic Lawn Mowers"

Gaogong Industry Research Institute (GGII), "2025 Sales Volume Ranking of 3D LiDAR for Robotics in China"

About RoboSense

RoboSense (02498 HKEX), founded in 2014, is an AI-driven robotics technology company that supplies core components and solutions for the robotics market, committed to "Become the global leader in robotics technology platforms." Headquartered in Shenzhen, China, the company has offices in Shanghai, Suzhou, and Hong Kong; Stuttgart in Germany; Detroit and Silicon Valley in the United States.

** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

RoboSense Ranked No.1 in Global 3D LiDAR Sales Volume for Robotic Lawn Mowers

RoboSense Ranked No.1 in Global 3D LiDAR Sales Volume for Robotic Lawn Mowers